Scrapping ECA admissions: Hindu College, DU get High Court notice

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to Delhi University (DU) and Hindu College on a writ petition challenging the decision by the college to not admit students under ECA quota.

“Can the chairman of the governing body of the college take a decision to change admission policy instead of the staff council?” the court of Justice Manmohan asked after hearing arguments from the petitioner.

Under DU rules, colleges are required to admit at least 5 per cent of students under Sports and ECA quotas. However, earlier this month, Hindu College scrapped the Extra Curricular Activities quota, and asked students who had applied for admission under the category to get a refund of the application fee. The college had initially reserved 3 per cent seats under the sports quota and 2 per cent under the ECA quota. But on July 4, it issued a circular withdrawing the ECA quota seats.

According to the plea filed by applicant Vishal Maharaj, the decision was “arbitrarily” taken after a letter was sent to by the chairman of the college governing body to the officiating principal.

During arguments on Monday, the counsel for the petitioner, advocate Aditya Kumar Choudhary, alleged that the decision was an “attempt to create sort of a management quota”.

“The chairman of the governing body cannot take a decision. Admission policy must be decided by the ECA committee nominated by the staff committee of the college,” Choudhary said.

The counsel for Hindu College, however, informed the court that the ECA seats would go to sports quota students. The counsel also said that taking the decision was within the power of the college since the 5 per cent quota was combined for ‘Sports and ECA’ admissions.

Maharaj, who is a drummer and has won awards in various competitions, in his plea had stated that the decision violated the DU admissions guidelines. He has also alleged that the convener of the ECA committee of Hindu College had written to the DU Vice-Chancellor to request “necessary action” to implement the university guidelines, but nothing had been done so far.

The court has now directed DU and the college to file detailed replies within two weeks.